A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of automatically dispensing beverages and, in particular, relates to the art of accurately dispensing alcoholic beverages, either alone as in the case of a single shot or as in ingredient of a mixed drink such as a high ball or cocktail.
Dispensing of alcoholic beverages has always entailed problems that are peculiar to this industry, with the particular problems being consistency, accounting, accuracy, control, speed, and compliance with state laws and other federal legislation.
In regards to accuracy, it is well known that there is an inconsistency of pour between various bartenders even though a measuring or shot glass is frequently employed for the purpose of making the mixed drink in question.
In some instances less than full measure of alcohol is given either intentionally or by accident, while in other instances more than the correct measure is inserted with the result that there is often a "shift-to-shift" inconsistency of any given drink in a particular establishment. It is well known in the industry that "overpour" exists in almost all instances of mixing drinks in a shaker. The person mixing the drinks want to avoid the possibility of coming up "short" when the drink is poured, and thus the tendency is to err by overpouring the necessary ingredients into the shaker.
As regards to theft and pilferage, there is often times an unintentional or intentional, as the case may be, failure to charge for a drink, with the result that the owner of the establishment in question fails to receive the full return on the alcoholic beverages that are being dispensed.
As to state and federal regulations, the same generally require that the product being dispensed be displayed at the point of sale.
In other systems that will be discussed subsequently in connection with the discussion of the prior art, there have been employed pressurized systems which serve to move the alcohol from the larger back-up container for the same to the bottle that is displayed at the point of sale.
In addition to requiring expensive and complex fittings to accomplish such movement, such systems have an inherent danger of explosion and/or implosion as the case may be depending upon whether a pressure or vacuum system is being employed for this purpose.
Further in this regard and in order to meet the aforementioned requirement, federal legislation prohibits the use of pressurized containers unless the same are properly identified, with the result that special fittings and elaborate mechanisms have been designed to pour the alcohol under pressure while still meeting the identification requirement aforementioned.
Another problem prevalent in the sale of alcoholic beverages is the question of inventory control, with inaccuracies and theft and pilferage problems aforementioned making accurate inventory control difficult, if not impossible.
B. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Several attempts have been made in the past to solve the problems above-noted, and while some of the references have solved some of the problems, no complete solution to the overall problem is presented at the present time.
In this regard some of the prior art requires "sequential" pouring, which means that each ingredient must be individually poured followed by the pouring of the next ingredient until a complete drink has been formulated. Applicant contemplates, on the other hand, using a "parallel" type of system wherein drinks are dispensed simultaneously.
Others have a limited menu of drinks that can be poured, while still others are complex and difficult to adjust and, for the most part, inflexible once they have been adjusted.
Finally, substantially all the references that will hereinafter be discussed require pressurization of some type in order for proper operation.
The following patents are believed pertinent:
______________________________________ Coja U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,218 Coja U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,367 Coja U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,132 Arps et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,621 Arps et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,073 Krause U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,176 Newberry et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,820 ______________________________________
The following patents are believed to be of general interest as to certain features of the application as will hereinafter be described:
______________________________________ Chatterton U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,060 Reynolds et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,127 Keller et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,844 Bayers, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,485 Whitney U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,645 Cornelius U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,445 Cardillo U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,078 Young U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,468 Woollen U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,855 Carse U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,552 Erne et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,692 Reichenberger U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,947 Booth U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,187 ______________________________________